Endoscopic and laparoscopic instruments currently available in the market are extremely difficult to learn to operate and use, mainly due to a lack of dexterity in their use. For instance, when using a typical laparoscopic instrument during surgery, the orientation of the tool of the instrument is solely dictated by the location of the target and the incision. These instruments generally function with a fulcrum effect using the patients own incision area as the fulcrum. As a result, common tasks such as suturing, knotting and fine dissection have become challenging to master. Various laparoscopic instruments have been developed over the years to overcome this deficiency, usually by providing an extra articulation often controlled by a separately disposed control member for added control. However, even so these instruments still do not provide enough dexterity to allow the surgeon to perform common tasks such as suturing, particularly at any arbitrarily selected orientation. Also, existing instruments of this type do not provide an effective way to hold the instrument in a particular position. Moreover, existing instruments require the use of both hands in order to effectively control the instrument.
An improved instrument is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,147,650 having enhanced dexterity and including, inter alia, a rotation feature with proximal and distal bendable members. Even though this instrument has improved features there remains the need for a more economically feasible instrument, and one in which the handle can be re-used while the tip of the instrument is disposable or reposable.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved laparoscopic or endoscopic instrument in which a portion of the instrument is re-useable and a portion is disposable. In embodiments described herein the handle end of the instrument is re-useable and the distal portion or tip of the instrument is disposable. By being able to re-use the handle portion, the instrument is more economically feasible.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved laparoscopic or endoscopic surgical instrument that allows the surgeon to manipulate the tool end of the surgical instrument with greater dexterity.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved surgical or medical instrument that has a wide variety of applications, through incisions, through natural body orifices or intraluminally.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a locking feature that is an important adjunct to the other controls of the instrument enabling the surgeon to lock the instrument once in the desired position. This makes it easier for the surgeon to thereafter perform surgical procedures without having to, at the same time, hold the instrument in a particular bent configuration.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved medical instrument that can be effectively controlled with a single hand of the user.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved medical instrument that is characterized by the ability to lock the position of the instrument in a pre-selected position while enabling rotation of the tip of the instrument while locked.